Jonas Knudsen is relishing filling in at centre-back for Ipswich Town – but admits he is still learning the ropes in his new role.
The Denmark left-back has impressed in Town’s last two games as part of a three-man defence, the 24-year-old being moved there as a result of injuries to Christophe Berra and Steven Taylor.
Knudsen played over an hour in the unfamiliar position in the 1-0 win at Aston Villa, before completing 90 minutes, alongside fellow full-back Jordan Spence and skipper Luke Chambers, in the draw at Brighton.
Berra could return to the fold for tomorrow’s home clash with Leeds United, after missing the Brighton draw with concussion, but with Chambers struggling with a cracked rib, Knudsen could well find himself in a back-three again.
On his new position, Knudsen, who could come face to face with former Town loanee Chris Wood, said: “I feel comfortable there, it suits me.
“I want to win duels, press people and close them down.
“I like to have the ball and put some passes out to the strikers and do something with the ball too.”
“Maybe the first five or 10 minutes against Villa I was getting advice from Chambo (Chambers) and Berra, asking them what I should do in certain situations.
“They helped me a lot and I still have to learn the position.”
He added: “You don’t get to run up and down the line and overlap like you do at left-back and I am a player that wants to run a lot and work hard for the team.”
Knudsen has earned warm praise from Blues boss McCarthy, who is also happy with the way Jordan Spence has adapted to life in the Ipswich back-line.
“Jonas has been outstanding in that position and Jordan Spence has come in on a Bosman Free transfer, having not played, and has done remarkably well,” McCarthy said.
“He (Spence) has done very well and it makes you wonder why he’s not somewhere else.”
On the possibility of Spence earning a longer deal, McCarthy added: He has come and played and done very, very well and we would have to be looking and thinking, ‘can we give him a longer deal’.
“But that’s for another day, let him keep playing, let’s keep getting performances and results with him in the team.”
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